Needle carrier



B. N. PIERCE NEEDLE CARRIER April 17, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 30, 1950 fnvenor: BernardMPierce 170's Attorneys April 17, 1951 p|ERE R 2,549,232

NEEDLE CARRIER I Filed Jan. 30, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor: BernardMPierce Patented Apr. 17, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT .OTF'FICE NEEDL R ER BernardN. Pierce, Avon, Conn., assignor to The Merrow Machine Company, Hartford, Conn, a corporationrof Connecticut .Ann i pnen ar 3 0 SeriaLNQ- 141 1 Claims. .1 In certain oVerseaming machines a curved eye-pointed needle is oscillated to follow an arc aterpath extending above and below a needle plate for cooperation with looper elements in the formation of overedge stitches. Sewing machines of this type areoperated at high rates of speed and it isimportant that bearing surfaces of the needle carrier and a stud for pivotally supporting the carrier be kept lubricated continuously with a film of oil therebetween. During operation of such a machine a slight flow of oil is diverted from the indicated bearing surfaces as from the effect of vibration and centrifugal force and this diverted oil is prone to accumulate on the outer face and adjacent areas of the needle carrier in sufficient quantity to be finally cast therefrom andonto the work as the latter is fed over the work support and needle .plate therebelow. .For obvious reasons this oil thrown onto the work is objectionable.

Toprevent discharge of oil from a needle carrier .onto the work is the object of the present invention. With this end in view an important feature of the invention consists of a particular formation of theneedle carrier with relation to the needle carrier supporting stud which'is effective to so divertoil'from the carrier that "it will 'be disposed of 'harmlessly. The form and arrangement of parts forattaining this purpose is fully set forth in the following detailed description, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and definedin the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is an end view of an overseaming machine having an oscillatoryneedle carrier and a needle carrier stud appropriate for inclusion therewith. of means comprising this invention.

Figured is a detail view of the needle carrier and associated parts in the sewing machine illustrated in Fig. 1, with the needle at one end of its range of movement.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but withthe needle at the opposite end of its rangeof movement.

Figure & is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, also showing parts related to those of Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view on line 55 of Fig. 4.

Referring. tothe drawings the overseaming machine illustrated thereby is of the well known Merrow type in which the stitch forming implem ents comprlse a curved eye-pointed needle I an upperlooperz, and a lower'looper '3. Mechenism for actuating these implementsis not here shownbut; is fully disclosed in numerous patents, as for;examp1e, in United States Letters Patent No. 1,988,631, granted December 11, 1934, upon application of Joseph M. Merrow.

To support theneedle l for oscillatory movement itis mounted in acarrieri having a hub 5 (Fig. 4) and a web portion 6 at the outer'end of the-huh, the latterbeing provided with a t-apered-bearing -hole -I. web t merges into-an arm 8 from which on the hub side of the web, a-stud 9 extends and at a free extremity of-the web a head 'i-il extendsoppositely somewhat-beyond the plane of the outer web surface I I. Head l fl is provided with a stud 12 to receive thereon a washer t3, which to prevent its turning with respect'to theheadi-O' is-keyedto the latter asat M. A nut 15 threaded on stud l2 serves tc-urge clamp or washer :13 toward head in to secure therebetween the needle shank l5 which passes through a hole in stud l2. For a purpose that will presently be described,-a channel or duct H is formed inthe outer face I l of carrier land intersects'the wall oftapered-hole I and-the peripheral surface of web 6 in proximity to where the latter projects as a rib I8 only slightly beyond thesimilar surface of hub- 5. The studs before mentioned and extended from relatively short arm -3 of the needle carrier, receives a linkconnection 59 which is associated withcarrieractuating means hereinafter described. 2

Serving to pivotally support --the carrier "d -isoa screw threaded stud 26 having a slotted-head 21 which is-longitudina'lly tapered to correspond to the taperofhole 'l insaid carrier. W-iththe wall f-holed engagedby stud 20, the latter maydae screwedinto machine frame 22 until the inner end surf aceof hub*5 isbroughtinto engagement with frame surfaceis to'thereby establish bearing fit between respective tapered surfaces of the stud and the carrier. T-hisadjustmen-t When completed may besecured in desired precise relationby set screw 24 (see Fig. 5). The bearing surface of-head -21 of stud 28 is of a length-that is shorter thanhole *T'for the purpose of leaving within-the outer end of hole-l, aspace or recess 25, fromwhich, channel or duct-ll forms anexit through which oil exuded from between the bearing surfaces may escape and be'harmlessly disposed of as will presently appear.

.Iy/ieans for v actuating the needle carrier 4-include a driven shaft 25 having 'aheadfl jourr naled in machine irame 22. A stud Zileccentrically disposedon head jlisengagedby link l'9, ab v meil ilsda sa e e it p q it e with stud S n carrier 4. "Ijhus rotat'ion of shaft (see Fig. 4:).

26 moves link I9 so that the needle carrier is oscillated about its pivotal axis to move the needle in the arcuate path which it travels in making successive penetrations of the work as W supported on needle plate 29 and work support 30 Extreme positions of the needle carrier in its range of movement in this arcuate path are shown respectively in Figs. 2 and 3.

For lubricating the several bearing surfaces indicated in the above description, oil may be applied in hole 3| (see Fig. 4). From this source oil traversing the bearing of shaft head 21 and passing through a channel 32 in face 23 of machine frame 22 is delivered to the bearing surface between carrier 4 and its supporting stud whence it passes outwardly into the recess provided at the end of the bearing surface of the stud 20. Oil in this recess under the efiect of gravity tends to flow downwardly toward channel or-duct ll. This oil is also acted upon by centrifugal force created by movement of carrier 4,

and is therefore expelled through channel [1, or in other words, diverted from moving out onto the outer lateral face of said carrier where it is objectionable for the reason already stated. The oil thus expelled through channel ll may not be entirely cast from the carrier. Whatever small amount remains thereon, however, tends to move onto and along the perimeter of web 6 and not onto the outer web surface H where it is particularly objectionable. To advantageously dispose of the trace of oil reaching the perimeter of web Eat the base of arm 8, it is directed to the outer extremity of said arm at the base of stud 9 and thence onto said stud to lubricate engagement therewith of. link I9. To facilitate such passage of oil, the outer edge of arm 8 is beveled .as at 33. That is, an inclined surface is formed at the base of stud 9, and as shown, extends toward the base of the arm into proximity with channel l1.

Thus the needle carrier and parts associated therewith may be defined briefly as comprising, a support, a pivotal stud carried thereby, an element mounted on the stud, said element including a hub and web portion, with the hub somewhat longer than the bearing surface of said stud engaged thereby so that a recess is provided in the outer face of the-hub adjacent to the end of the bearing hole for the stud, said web around a portion of the hub circumference forming a slight rib and therebeyond merging into an arm having a needle-holding head, and also merging into an actuatin arm for suitable engagement with means for operating the carrier, and the web beingformed with a channel or duct intersecting the recess and leading outwardly therefrom to the perimeter of the rib or web.

It will be understood that the present invention is not limited to the exact details herein shown and described and that the principles involved may be applied in other mechanisms without departure from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a sewing machine, a support, an element having a hole therethrough and a duct extended from the exterior of the element into said hole,

and a stud having bearing engagement within the hole to pivotally secure the element to the support, the outer end of the bearing surface of hub, a stud having bearing engagement within a hole in the hub to pivotally secure the element to the support with an end of the hub remote from the web adjacent to the support, and means for diverting oil from adjacent the outer end of the bearing surface of said stud outwardly through the web.

3. In a sewing machine, a support, a needle carrier, a tapered pivotal stud for engagement with a correspondingly tapered hole in the needle carrier whereby the carrier is supported for oscillation on the stud with a side of the needle carrier held against the support, the bearing surface of said stud terminating within the hole to provide a recess in the outer face of the carrier, and means for diverting oil from said recess outwardly through the carrier.

4. In a sewing machine, a support, a needle carrier, and a pivotal stud, said needle carrier comprising a hub and a web portion, said pivotal stud being tapered for engagement with a correspondingly tapered hole in said hub whereby the carrier is supported for oscillation on the stud with an end'surface of the hub held against the support, the bearing surface of said stud terminating within the hole to provide a recess adjacent the outer face of the carrier, said carrier having a duct therein leading from the recess to the perimeter of the needle carrier web.

5. In a sewing machine, a support, a needle carrier, and a pivotal stud, said needle carrier comprising a hub and a web with the web portion forming, a needle carrying arm, an arm whereby the needle carrier is actuated, and a rib on the hub, said pivotal stud being tapered for engagement with a correspondingly tapered hole in said hub whereby the carrier is supported for oscillation on the stud with an end of the hub held against the support, the bearing surface of said stud terminating within the hole to provide a recess adjacent the outer face of the carrier, said carrier having a duct therein leading from the recess to the perimeter of the arm whereby the carrier is actuated.

6. In a sewing machine, a support, a needle carrier, and a pivotal stud, said needle carrier comprising a, hub and a web merged therewith, the latter including an arm whereby the needle carrier is actuated, said pivotal stud being tapered for engagement with a correspondingly tapered hole in said hub wherebythe carrier is supported for oscillation on the stud with an end of the hub held against the support, the bearing surface of said stud terminating within the hole to provide a recess adjacent the outer face of the carport beyond the bearing surface of said stud to provide a recess at the outer face of said hub,

said carrier being formed with a duct extending from said recess to the edge of said carrier.

8. In a sewing machine, a support, a stud projecting outwardly from said support, and a needle carrier having a hub and a web portion extending from said hub, said hub being formed with a hole having a bearing fit on said stud pivotally mounting said carrier on said support, said hub extending outwardly from said support beyond the outer end of said stud to provide a recess at the outer face of said hub, said carrier being formed with a duct extending from said recess to the edge of the carrier.

9. In a sewing machine, a needle carrier comprising a Web, a hub at one side of said web, said hub having a hole therethrough, the inner portion of the Wall of said hole forming a bearing surface for pivotally mounting the carrier on a support, the outer portion of the wall of said hole constituting a recess for collecting lubricant discharged from the bearing surface, a needle carrier head at the other side of said web, and an operating arm extending from said Web adjacent said hub, said other side of said web being formed with a duct leading from said hole and to the edge of said web between said hub and said operating arm, said duct communicating with said recess for conducting lubricant therefrom.

10. In a sewing machine, a needle carrier comprising a web, a hub at one side of said web having a hole therethrougn, a needle carrier head at the other side of said web, and an operating arm extending from said web adjacent said hub, said arm having an inclined surface merging with the edge of said web, said web being formed with a duct leading from said hole to the edge of said web adjacent said inclined surface.

BERNARD N. PIERCE.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Merrow Dec. 11, 1934 Number 

